6.15.16

ASN Morning Read: Two More Days. Two More Days.

We are getting so close to the United States' Copa America Centenario meeting against Ecuador. And yet, we are still so far away from kick off. No worries: We have a wide offering of soccer stories.

BY
noah davis
Posted
June 15, 2016
8:00 AM

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'bout time: "Along with a welcome uptick in form, the United States national team has discovered something else in its collective locker during its strange but ongoing run in the Copa America. A nasty streak."

"There has long been a perception that when this U.S. team has performed well, it has done so in spite of the coach, not because of him. There might even be some truth to that. After all, the players play the games. But the truth is also that in both the Costa Rica and Paraguay matches, Klinsmann made subtle tactical adjustments that ended up having an impact on the outcome."

"Young studs can still turn out to be excellent long-term pros, but it’s not a perfect progression. There are systematic advantages to being young. As fans and coaches and an American soccer system, we can’t pretend like it’s theoretical concepts of “pressure” and “expectations” that hurt our future stars. Rather, let’s acknowledge and face the real challenges head-on."

Fun stuff: "The U.S. Women’s National Team will face Costa Rica at Children’s Mercy Park on July 22 in Kansas City, Kansas, in the final game before the squad departs for the 2016 Olympics in Brazil."